The Chronicle, 6.7

Page 1

News: Personal finance class to replace ECA-B

Chronicle Sports: Athletic department considering pay to play

The William Mason High School

Volume 6

Aussie football tournament here Although Australian football tournaments have been held in cities such as Colorado Springs and Las Vegas, the competition will return to its hometown of Cincinnati this year -- specifically Mason. The United States Australian Football League, which began in Cincinnati in 1997 with a team called the Cincinnati Dockers, will bring its 2009 National Tournament to Heritage Oak Park on October 10 and 11. The sport, referred to as “footy,” is often compared to rugby or soccer, and no protective gear is used. The games consist of two 20-minute halves and are played on a field that is 160 feet long and 140 feet wide. The tournament will host 32 men’s teams and six women’s teams as well as coaches, umpires and fans. Fans will be admitted free into the event, which will include an animal park complete with kangaroos. Other activities will also be planned for guests and their children.

TODAY

Prom ticket sale begins Today is the first day that you can buy your prom tickets. Receive the Early Bird Prices if you buy between today and May 1. Early Bird prices are $100 per couple and $50 for individuals. If you buy from May 4th through May 8, tickets will be $120 per couple and $60 for individuals. New to prom this year, your student ID must be brought to Prom for check-in.

Parking spot raffle starts

Starting today, if you open an account or make a transaction at Comets Savings & Loan, you can enter a raffle for a chance to win a front row parking spot. Tickets will be collected today through May 12.

The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Road Mason, Ohio 45040

Issue 7

Who is Rachel Hutzel?

Warren County’s no-nonsense prosecutor takes her job seriously

photos by Rachel Schowalter

NEWS BRIEF

April 20, 2009

“My job is not to decide whether the law is correct. I took an oath to enforce the law of the state of Ohio as written by our elected legislators, and I take that oath very seriously.” Alyssa Howard | Editor in Chief Facing heated criticism concerning the severity (or lack thereof), of charges brought by the county against juveniles, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel said that hers is a position that has always been accompanied by the public’s judgment. With 16 years of experience in the Warren County prosecution office, Hutzel said that she has learned to take a pragmatic approach to the abundant critiques arising from community opinion. “You can’t do this job and not have criticism,” Hutzel said. “I take it with a grain of salt.” Referencing the prosecutor of former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial, Hutzel said that the nature of prosecution means angering some citizens. “Ken Starr says that when you’re charged with enforcing the law, you’re going to make some people mad,” Hutzel said. Despite the criticism that some of her decisions invoke, Hutzel said that she is committed to measure cases against statutes as they currently are in legislation. According to Hutzel, although she is limited in her duties as prosecutor, she continues to have discussions with state lawmakers to ensure that laws are fairly crafted and worded for clear purpose. “My job is not to decide whether the law is correct,” Hutzel said. “I took an oath to enforce the law of the state of Ohio as written by our elected legislators, and I take that oath very

seriously….So, I can tell the legislators, ‘I think that you need to look at this; I think that this needs to be fixed.’ But, my oath of office is that I enforce it.” The main discrepancy Hutzel said she currently sees between laws and crimes pertain to offenses involving technology. She said that with the speed of new developments, it can be difficult for legislation to keep pace. “I think that we are a little bit behind the eight-ball on a number of different crimes that can be committed over the internet,” Hutzel said. “I would include in that stalking, cyberbullying, menacing, those types of crimes.” Hutzel said that she feels the recent sexting issue, in particular, is an example of how legislation can inadvertently trail the capabilities of consumer products. Sexting, according to Hutzel, corresponds with child pornography statutes, which rule convicted participants felons and require them to register as sex offenders for up to 15 years. “We did a survey of prosecutors’ offices in the tri-state area,” Hutzel said. “Most of them have been charging it as a felony. The specific statute that I’m talking about is basically child porn; it has a slightly different name in Ohio…. And what that statute says is: producing [or] disseminating a depiction of a minor in a state of nudity is a felony.” See HUTZEL on page 2

Hutzel no stranger to Mason › Bus incident

On February 18, three Mason High School students were convicted of attempted vandalism and criminal trespassing, after being charged for unplugging district school buses on January 15. The three have been sentenced with 300 hours of community service, $2,500 in compensation and a 60-day house arrest this summer.

› Sexting incident

On March 4, two MHS students were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor of the first degree, for participation in sexting.


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